Shell-reducing device.



H. W. MENGE. SHELL REDUUING DBAYIGE. APPLICATION IEILD NOV. 27,1905.

Patented Nov. 17,1908.

lllllllllll THE NoRRls PErERs ca., wAsmNnruN. n. c.

HENRY WILLIAM MENGE, OF.EIGHTH WARD, PLAQUEMINES PARISH, LOUISIANA.

SHELL-EEDUCING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 17, 1908.

Application 1ed November 27, 1905. Serial No. 289,346.

To all whom it may concern.- l

Be it known that I, HENRY WILLIAM MENGE, residing at Eighth Ward, in the My invention is in the nature of an im- ,proved implement or device for sportsmens and hunters uses, for'conveniently and expeditiously fixing shells in such manner that they can be readily entered into the barrel of breech loading fire arms. y

It is well-known, particularly. to hunters and Sportsmen, that great diiiiculty is experienced with the extractors on breech loaders, in entering or loading shells into the gun barrel, by reason of the shells expanding-bulging lor otherwise losing the proper shape required for a quick and positive entering thereof into the gun.

To overcome the above objections in a convenient and inexpensive manner and to provide a device for quickly reducing the shells to a proper shape to permit of quickly inserting the same into the gun barrel, is the object of my invention, which consists in a device that embodies certain peculiar combinations of parts, all of which will be hereinafter fully described, specifically pointed out in the claims and illustrated in the acy companying drawings, in which,

Figure l, is a perspective view of my invention and showing the manner in which it is used, Fig. 2, is a vertical section of the preferred form of my invention, the parts being shown with a bulged or expanded cartridge to re-shape the same, Fig. 3, is a similar view showing the parts Vadjusted to re-shape the shell, Fig. 4:, is a horizontal section of the device on the line 4 4 on Fig. 2, Fig. 5,.is a similar view on the line 5-5 on Fig. 3, Fig. 6, is a detail View of the hinged sectional clamping socket, Fig. 7, is a similar view of the cam'or reducing clamp member, and, Fig. 8, is a modification of the reducing clamp member hereinafter referred to. Fig. 9, is a cross section of a modified form on the line 9 9 of Fig. 8. Y,

In carrying out my invention, I provide a split tubular socket A of suitable length formed of the two half-sections a-a, the lower ends of which have apertured eye portions a-a2 adapted to fit together to receive the pintle b whereby to form a hinge joint atV one end and to admit of the two sections a-a being readily opened out to receive a bulged or swelled shell.

C designates a reducing clamp member, which in the preferred form shown in Figs. 1 to 7 consistsof a yoke shaped strap or band, the body portion c of which is of a diameter-to fit over the upper or open end of the socket A, and the ends c of which are projected parallel and formed with inwardly projecting bosses 02-02 that oppose one another to form a restricted space a@ to receive the head c3 of the cam lever c4 which is pivotally mounted on the cross pin 05 that takes through the apertures 0G and the aperture 6ai in the cam head c3.

The gripping face of the cam head 03 is concaved as at 8C to accommodate itself upon and form a solid bearing against the round portion of the socket member with which it engages as clearly shown in Figs. l and 5.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the drawing, the advantages of and the manner in which my device is used will be readily apparent. It will be noticed that to reduce or re-shape the shell, it is only necessary to slightly separate the socket sections a-o; sufficient to insert the swollen or bulged shell, which is shoved down into the socket until its cap rim engages the upper end of the socket.

Thefyoke portion of the cam member is then slipped over the top of the socket, and held therein as shown inl Fig. 2, and when thus positioned, the user by simply bringing the cam lever down to the position shown in Fig. 8, forces the two sections a-a together and thus squeezes the shell back to a uniform diameter and re-shaped to freely enter the barrel of the gun, it being understood that when re-shaped, it can be readily withdrawn from the socket A by moving up the cam lever to permit of a slight separation of the sections a-a.

Instead of using the cam lever device shown in Figs. 1 to 7, the same result can be obtained by forming the yoke portion C of the clamping device with-a solid cross portion 5c between its ends, and using a set screw GC in the threaded aperture 07 in the part 5c.

By reason of the peculiar arrangement of the several parts they can be easily and economically constructed and easily' carried in the pocket and form a desired device to be carried by Sportsmen and hunters, particularly when hunting marsh game, since in case the shells become damp or wet and swollen ont of shape, they can in a momente time be properly re-shuped.

Having thusdeseribedfmy invention;what I chum and desire to Secure by Letters lati two members, Said yoke having'` ay pair of purallelly.extended portions, and adjustable Vmeans mounted between the parallelly extended `portions for clamping the two socket members against zt shellto `reduce the same,

`snbetantially as shown and deseribed.

\ 2. A. device `of thel cha noter described,

which consists ot a` socket formed o'l two semi-cylindrical members open at one end andelosed :it the other, said members hinged together at this closed end, a yoke adn )ted to be slipped over the separating ends ot the two members, said yoke having a pair of `parallelly extended portions :t'or elannping the two soeketmembers against a shell to reduce the Same, said adjustable means comprising a lever fnlermned between said paralielly extended portions and havingl a eani face to cooperatively engage one o'l Said semi-cylindrical members.

HENRY lVILLIAM MENGE.

Vitnesses 2 D. G. VIRE,

E. G. JORDAN. 

